7 Routers Trim, Cut and Shape Woodworking: PM Lab Test

We gathered seven trim routers and three testers devoted a day slaving over oak boards to find out which one comes out on top. After the sawdust was cleared and notes were recorded, here is how they fared.

The trend in power tools is to do more with less. Today's woodworkers are as likely to pick up a trim router to do a small job as they are to hoist a full-size router onto the workbench. Principally designed to trim laminate but with the capacity to do light woodworking, these tools operate at speeds as high as 35,000 rpm. That's a lot faster than a standard router's 21,000 to 24,000 rpm. But can they do the work of a standard router, even for small jobs? To find out, we gathered seven trim routers, and then three testers devoted a day to trimming laminate, cutting grooves and shaping the edges of oak boards. Here's what we found.

Porter-Cable 97311 | $219

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FeaturesSpindle Lock: Yes / Multiple Speeds: No / Soft Start: No
What we liked
The Porter-Cable's no-frills design looks like it's 15 or 20 years old, but the tool works well. To adjust its bit, you tighten or loosen the large knob on the back of the base, setting the position of the motor, and hence the bit. Then, you use the fine-adjustment thumb wheel to tweak its position. Another nice feature that separates the Porter-Cable from the router crowd: a sub-base accessory for trimming the edge of plastic laminate so you can join adjacent sheets with a nearly invisible seam.
What we disliked
You'd think Porter-Cable would provide more than one speed, but it doesn't.

Trim routers are easy to handle and work well for small jobs. Still, our test found that they complement, rather than replace, a full-size router. (Photograph by Zach DeSart)

DeWalt D26670 | $84

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FeaturesSpindle Lock: Yes / Multiple Speeds: No / Soft Start: No
What we liked
The DeWalt is a good choice for basic router work. It's simple and it's got more than enough power to do the job. It has a simple slide-adjusted depth of cut control and a knurled thumb wheel for fine adjustment (as does the Porter-Cable, a product of its sister company).
What we disliked
DeWalt (or Porter-Cable) should find a better way to mount the base to the motor so that you can slip the base on and off in seconds instead of fiddling with small parts. A tool this simple deserves simple base-mounting.

Makita 3708FC | $189

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FeaturesSpindle Lock: No / Multiple Speeds: No / Soft Start: No
What we liked
The Makita is the latest in a long line of the company's tools that reflect no-nonsense industrial tool design. Two examples are its top-mounted toggle switch and a thick 8-ft-long rubber cord that connects to the motor with a heavy-duty strain-relief boot. Its collet is precisely machined, allowing bits to slip in and out and be tightened or loosened with ease.
What we disliked
Somebody overlooked the fine-adjustment knobs, which are annoyingly small. Also, the shaft that connects the knobs is too short. One careless turn too many unthreads the fine-adjustment assembly, which then falls apart.

Ridgid R2400 | $100

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FeaturesSpindle Lock: No / Multiple Speeds: Yes / Soft Start: Yes
What we liked
This is a pro-grade router. Take, for example, its ball-bearing edge guide. Attached to the fence, it helps produce precise edge cuts without the need to use a router bit equipped with a ball-bearing pilot. This enables a wide variety of routing operations with standard bits, and the guide's ball bearing is less likely to seize than a bearing on a bit, since it's farther away from the high-speed debris that comes shooting off a router bit.
What we disliked
The fine-adjustment thumb wheel should be larger.

Ryobi TR45 | $80

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FeaturesSpindle Lock: No / Multiple Speeds: No / Soft Start: No
What we liked
The Ryobi lives up to its billing as a miniature router, suited to light woodworking and laminate trimming. It comes with an auxiliary two-handle base that improves stability, and it's easy to set the cutting depth: Just flip open the adjustment latch and slide the motor up or down in the base. Like a full-size router, the latch allows the base to be removed quickly. That's handy on any router, but especially on those that, like the Ryobi, lack a spindle lock and require two wrenches to tighten and loosen bits.
What we disliked
The crummy cord--it's as stiff as a piece of frozen rope.

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